the school went through a number of names and locations before moving to the historic site it presently occupies on the grounds of the historic Blantyre CCAP Mission. At the time of the move in September 1977, there were 200 children enrolled - a huge increase on the three children who first attended Mrs. Coventry’s school in her garage on Sharpe Rd. Three years later when Mrs. Coventry retired there were 320 Phoenix children.
The name Phoenix was chosen by the then Chairman of the Board, Ian Young, to symbolize the re-birth of Mrs. Coventry’s School in the new location – out of the ashes of the old is born the new.
Although the premises were bigger and better than any yet occupied, the school was far from perfect. And so began the organic development process that has seen Phoenix evolve into the school it is today. The ongoing partnership between the school and its parents have been responsible for the building of the school hall, the beautiful 20m pool, expansive playing fields, a fleet of school buses, a purpose-built art room, music room and pre-nursery; and our latest project – the covered outdoor gymnasium.
We are now old enough to be educating a second generation in many families. Some of our teaching staff were, once upon a time, students at Phoenix. We have a history we are proud of, and we are continually developing, adapting and planning for our future. While the Phoenix palms have grown taller, our curriculum has evolved, and our facilities have been updated, the historic buildings retain their unique character and charm. The classrooms in both the Upper and Lower School open onto our beautiful courtyards, welcoming children, parents, and teachers alike.
As we move forward into the future, we will continue to evolve and adapt within our Malawi context while following the English National Curriculum as our academic backbone. We will, however, remain uniquely Phoenix as we prepare our young learners for the challenges they will face in the wide world around them.
